Information and media reports of cases where Wind Turbines have malfunctioned.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Fire: Sunderland, December 2005

A major north-east road had to be closed after fire broke out at a £2m windfarm.

The fire started in one of the turbines at Nissan's Washington factory. Both carriageways of the nearby A19 in Sunderland were shut to traffic amid fears that smoke would reduce visibility and that the turbine could fall into the trunk road.

A fault in the power pack at the top of a 180ft concrete shaft of a turbine is thought to have started the blaze, which was allowed to burn out. Its three fibreglass blades were badly damaged and investigations were under way to find out what exactly sparked the fire.